“Is Sir Mir’s memory erased?”
At the base of the Chivalrous Robbers...
This place was isolated like the Peach Blossom Spring and was one of the few places where they could avoid the eyes of the G.o.ds. The entrance process was very mysterious. Hw.a.n.g Gildong, who was leading the group and wandering around in the usual places, greeted pa.s.sersby he encountered on the way. After repeating this several times, he naturally set foot into it. The overlap of conversations with real, ordinary people, not members of the Chivalrous Robbers, naturally completed the technique.
It was an unbelievable structure even after experiencing it in person.
“I think the Three Masters made the worst move. Of course, it isn’t that I don’t understand their feelings. Hanul’s sword felt liking toward the enemy of the Hwan Kingdom, so they would’ve been wary.”
However, they must be lamenting by now because that action made their sword leave.
Old Sword Demon asked the smiling Hw.a.n.g Gildong, “Can I hit you once?”
It was a surprise question like a master’s blow.
Hw.a.n.g Gildong was a bit confused. “What unreasonable words are you saying arbitrarily?”
“I get angry when I see your smiling face. In any case, didn’t you sin against me? Please give me one punch as a means of atonement.”
“I have repeatedly said that to deceive the enemy, the key is to deceive your allies... if you have to judge the right or wrong after being deceived so many times already, I think there is a problem with you. Don’t you think so, G.o.d of Virtue?”
“...I’m not the G.o.d of Virtue.”
“Would you like to relive old memories and be Pangea’sG.o.d of Virtue?”
“I am the Overgeared G.o.d.”
“Hmm, I think G.o.d of Virtue seems better than Overgeared G.o.d. Just as the word ‘overgeared’ is strange to me, I think the word ‘virtue’ is unfamiliar to the Overgeared G.o.d.”
“No matter whether it is unfamiliar or familiar, anyone can see that overgeared is much better.”
In fact, both weren’t good from a general point of view, but Grid was serious. Hw.a.n.g Gildong had to get used to the word ‘overgeared.’
Meanwhile, preparations for the ceremony were steadily progressing. Two of the Four Auspicious Beasts sealed in the White Tiger Spear and the Blue Dragon Dao—the members of the Chivalrous Robbers were preparing to unseal them at the same time.
A woman dressed in a beautiful, colorful striped hanbok[1], carefully opened her mouth, “It is autumn, so the conditions for holding the ceremony seem to be easily met.”
It was said that the Blue Dragon loved winter and the White Tiger loved summer. Therefore, in order to unseal the G.o.ds, they had to compromise by holding the ceremony in autumn or spring. Grid could easily imagine how different the personalities of the two G.o.ds would be.
“Now G.o.d Black Tortoise and G.o.d Red Phoenix should’ve arrived safely at the shrine. Will the G.o.ds of the Hwan Kingdom silently watch...?”
“Why do you need the help of the Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise to unseal the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon?”
Grid was the one who unsealed the Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise. So it was a question that he could raise.
The woman explained it, “It is because the possibility of a collision between G.o.d White Tiger and G.o.d Blue Dragon can’t be ignored. It is only when G.o.d Black Tortoise and G.o.d Red Phoenix act as mediators that we can calm the two G.o.ds.”
‘They aren’t kids.’
It felt a bit pathetic. However, it was physiology. It was right to acknowledge that the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger had a bad relations.h.i.+p. It was as natural as the change of seasons and countermeasures were put in place.
Jingle.
The sudden sound of bells caused Grid to stiffen. For him, the bells were a tool that reminded him of Martial G.o.d Chiyou. Of course, Chiyou wouldn’t come here. The sound of the bells came from the bells hanging on the woman’s fan.
“Come to think of it, it feels more like preparing for a ritual rather than a ceremony.”[2]
Wasn’t the woman dressed like a shaman?
He naturally thought of a ritual when he saw the statue of the Four Auspicious Beasts spread out behind the ancestral altar and the jakdu provided on one side of the yard. [3]
“You’ve seen it precisely. We decided that a ritual was a more effective tool than a simple ceremony.”
A ritual was a means of taking in the essence of a G.o.d.
Unsealing the seals...
This was the target of Hw.a.n.g Gildong and the Chivalrous Robbers.
Mir also thought it was right.
“The Blue Dragon is the strongest among the Four Auspicious Beasts. The G.o.ds of the Hwan Kingdom put a lot of effort into sealing the Blue Dragon. As a result, the Blue Dragon was sealed much more thoroughly into the Blue Dragon Dao than any of the other G.o.ds. Rather, it is more accurate to say that they are united as one.”
It was impossible to unseal the Blue Dragon Dao just through a single ceremony. A separate ceremony was needed, but the level of the offerings was low. It wasn’t known how many years it would take to awaken the Blue Dragon’s consciousness just through offerings and prayers. This was why the force of the ritual was needed.
“I see.” Grid respected the unfamiliar culture of the East Continent. He absorbed and understood new concepts like a sponge.
‘Is a shaman also a hidden cla.s.s?’
Grid recalled Khan in heaven, the Seven Malignant Saints sealed in the abyss, and the souls of Pagma and Alex being held captive by Baal. As long as a shaman’s specialty was necromancy, Grid hoped that he would be able to get help in many ways from them in the future.
Grid asked the woman, “Is it possible to call a target that exists in a completely different dimension?”
“Of course it is possible. It is a ritual that calls on the G.o.ds in the first place. Most of the G.o.ds are in a place far away from the human world, so they aren’t limited by dimensions.”
“A ritual to call the G.o.ds... you can’t target legends or half-G.o.ds?”
“Yes.”
“......”
As expected, it wouldn’t be easy. Grid was smacking his lips with regret when he suddenly found a part that bothered him. Two large jakdus were lying face up. They looked well maintained due to their s.h.i.+ne, but they were only s.h.i.+ny on the outside. Grid’s insight could tell that there were many dull parts.
‘Let’s sharpen their blades.’
The food for the ritual was almost all prepared and the traditional Korean percussion quartet, located to the left and right sides of the ritual table, were striking the janggu, a traditional Korean drum, and the kkwaenggwari, a small gong. The shaman at the center of the ritual area poured clean water and prayed to the G.o.ds. Meanwhile, Hw.a.n.g Gildong coordinated the overall situation with Mir. Only Grid and Yeum were standing idly in the distance.
“Songpyon, rice cake steamed on a layer of pine needles, is delicious.”
Grid didn’t want to be treated in the same way as Yeum who was sitting and covetingsongpyon. He naturally found something to do since his personality was originally so diligent. He started to sharpen the blades using sandpaper without having to take out a hammer and anvil. It was easy because it was the finest sandpaper made with corundum.
The shaman, who was praying while twirling with her palms together, soon slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes were clearer like a person who had finished a long meditation. At first glance, it seemed like there was a certain phenomenon being subtly revealed.
‘I can feel divinity, even if it is weak.’
Grid inwardly admired it. He saw the shaman who was possessed by the G.o.d she served and thought she wasn’t a quack like other members of the Chivalrous Robbers.
“G.o.d Red Phoenix and G.o.d Black Tortoise are getting closer... I’m going to get started.”
The shaman was transformed into a completely different person. She spoke informally in the voice of an old man who seemed to smoke more than three packs of cigarettes a day. It wasn’t enough that she used Hw.a.n.g Gildong as a servant when he was the head of the group, but she also yelled at Mir and Yeum, calling them idiots.
However, not a single word was spoken to Grid. Rather, she consciously avoided him. She didn’t look at him once and treated him like he wasn’t there.
-It has been a while.
-Welcome, Overgeared G.o.d.
Just then, the Red Phoenix and the Black Tortoise arrived at the scene. To be precise, it was their ‘consciousness,’ not their bodies. They descended through the Heart of the Red Phoenix and the Sh.e.l.l of the Black Tortoise that Grid possessed. The situation was explained to them by Hw.a.n.g Gildong’s clone, who had left to pick them up.
The shaman had a satisfied smile as she spread out her fan and shouted, “Oh, how distressing! I feel sorry for the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger, who have endured the humiliation for so many years! If humans hadn’t forgotten them, you wouldn’t have suffered the humiliation of being brutally defeated by the exiled G.o.ds!”
Jingle jingle jingle!
The shaman’s fan made a loud bell ringing sound as it hit the top of Hw.a.n.g Gildong’s head. She seemed to be scolding him.
“Pfft.” Old Sword Demon laughed like he liked it. As a result, he caught the shaman’s attention and was also hit on the head by a fan.
Yeum, who seemed to be stabbed by the shaman’s actions, slowly retreated. It was as far away from the ritual site as possible. It was to prevent the humiliation of being beaten by an unidentified miscellaneous G.o.ds.
Fortunately, the shaman didn’t hurt her. The G.o.d residing in the shaman criticized the yangbans, but had no intention of inflicting direct harm. This proved that the G.o.d specialized in rituals, but their status itself wasn’t very high.
Drum drum drum~!!
The sound of drums and gongs grew louder.
Jingle jingle jingle!
The sound of the bells on the shaman’s fan also sped up. The group was overwhelmed by the atmosphere.
“Blue Dragon! White Tiger! Those who haven’t forgotten you and who miss you are hoping for your coming! Open your eyes when you hear this call...!! Cough!”
The shaman, who was dancing while waving her fan, suddenly coughed up dark red blood. Looking at her pale face, it wasn’t acting. She really suffered an internal injury.
“The will of the G.o.ds of the Hwan Kingdom in the seal is trying to push me away...! Harder! Drum harder! May my call break through the thick seal and reach the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon...!!”
Dong dong!Tang drum drum~!!
The percussion quartet started to play the janggu and kkwaenggwari with the momentum of breaking it. They were drenched in sweat, like they were playing in the pouring rain, and seemed to be as excited as the shaman. The atmosphere of the ritual site was great, so Grid was also a bit overwhelmed. It was as the heat was being intensified even more.
“I will deliver my will to the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon!”
The shaman threw away the fan before taking out a large sword for generals and a five colored flag. She shook with excitement while cutting her flesh with the general’s sword, but she didn’t shed a drop of blood. The reason was that the general’s sword was more blunt than it looked, but the influence of the divinity was also greater. The faint divinity around the shaman gave the shaman enough protection to endure the general’s sword.
“Focus on the White Tiger and the Blue Dragon beyond the seal! Don’t miss the moment when my will breaks through the will of the wicked G.o.ds covering your eyes and ears!”
Eventually, the shaman threw off her traditional socks worn with hanbok and flew on top of the jakdus.
“Kiyaaaaak!”
“......”
“......”
The faint divinity worn by the shaman couldn’t withstand the sharpness of the jakdus, which had been personally sharpened by Grid. The shaman got a large cut on her feet the moment she stepped on the jakdus and she rolled around, scattering blood.
“Kill... it is killing intent...!”the shaman screamed for a long time before struggling to organize the situation. She insisted it was clear that the G.o.ds of the Hwan Kingdom performed black arts on the jakdus. She lamented that the ritual would fail at this rate.
Grid realized the seriousness of the situation and coughed with embarra.s.sment as he made eye contact with Yeum. She had been keeping an eye on Grid out of fear, so she had witnessed him sanding the blades. Due to her expression that she had seen something she shouldn’t have seen, Grid could no longer stand on the sidelines.
At this rate, he thought he would lose trust and cause a misunderstanding. Therefore, he took the shaman’s general’s sword and five-colored flag, and climbed on top of the jakdus. He recalled that the gist of the jakdu dance was to ‘transmit the will to the target.’ He also pinned his hopes on the fact that Pagma’s sword dance was originally used in rituals. There was a good chance that Grid could replace the shaman.
Grid was right in his judgment. He climbed barefoot on the jakdus and slowly started the Sky sword dance.
[Your strong will has been pa.s.sed onto the ‘White Tiger’ and the ‘Blue Dragon’ of the Four Auspicious Beasts.]
[The consciousness of the Blue Dragon and the White Tiger, trapped in a thick seal, have awakened!]
The Blue Dragon Dao and the White Tiger Spear on the altar shook loudly before shattering. At the same time, a giant Blue Dragon and a giant White Tiger appeared. It was so huge that the White Tiger’s body filled the wide shrine when crouching and the body of the Blue Dragon pierced the roof of the shrine even when it was twisted.
‘What can’t he do?’
Everyone at the scene looked at Grid with astonishment.
1. Korean traditional clothing ☜
2. The ritual mentioned here is called Gut and it is a ritual performed by Korean shamans involving offerings to G.o.ds, spirits, and ancestors. They are characterized by rhythmic movement, songs, oracles, and prayers, and are meant to create welfare, promoting commitment between the G.o.ds and humans. ☜
3. Jakdu= a tool for cutting things difficult to cut with ordinary scissors or knives, such as thick straw or herbal medicine. It was also used as a weapon for shamans. It was believed that a shaman could call and communicate with the spirit, receiving power from the spirit by stepping on the jakdu ☜